Printing machine



June 11, 1929. M. 1.. ABRAMS ET AL 1,716,942

' PRINTING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS 1'1. L.Abra.m;s

A.J. Gies ATTORNEYS June 1929- M. 1.. ABRAMS ET AL PRINTING MACHINE Filed .March.2, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 NNN QNN

MNN

61L. Attorneys.

June 11, 1929. M.- L. ABRAMS ET AL M-. L ABRAMS ET AL PRINTING MACHINE June 11, 1929.

a Shets-Sheet 4 Filed March 1926 mmvrons m.- L.Abrams BY A. J. Gies A TTORNEYS June 11, 1929- M. L. ABRAMS ETAL PRINTING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS, M. Abrams A. J. G ies ATTORNEYS June 11, 19291 M. L. ABRAMS El AL PRINTING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 ,Filed March 2, 1926:

INVENTORS M. L.Abram5 A. J (ii/es mm ATTORNEYS June 11, 1929.

M. L. ABRAMS ETQAL PRINTING MACHINE Filed March 2, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 UNN INVENTORS .z LLHAbrcnms vb mm A TTORNEYS Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MUSE L. .ABRAMS, OF CLEVELAND, AND ALFRED J. GIES, OF PARMA TOWNSHIP, CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OHIO.

PRINTING MACHINE.

Application filed March 2, 1926. Serial No. 91,743.

The present invention relates in general to printing or duplicating machines, and has for its object to provide a device of this character which embodies novel. features of construction whereby a special imprint is placed upon each sheet in addition to the main iinpression as the sheet passes through the machine, the special imprints being all different.

The invention is more particularly intend ed for printing or duplicating letters, and the special imprints may then provide names, addresses, and Salutations for the intended rccipients of the letters.

According to the present practice circular letters are printed through a ribbon so that they simulate typcwriting, the name and address of the recipient being filled in with a typewriter after the body portion of the letter has been printed with a duplicating machine. Not only is the filling in of these individual letters on a typewriter a slow and expensive process, but it is seldom if ever pos sible to obtain an accurate match between the heading which is filled in on the typewriter and the body of the letter. One part is nearly always a trifle heavier or lighter in color than the other part, and there is also great possibility of inaccurate marginal registry and lack of parallelism between the partwhich is writtenon the typewriter and the part which is.printed on the duplicating machine.

' The present invention provides a novel means for successively supplying di lferent imprint or address plates to the printing form between the printing operatic s, so that the result of each printing operation will be to make an impression from the main form and also an impression from the special address or imprint plate. The name and address is thus printed at the same time that the body of the letter is printed, thereby obtaining a pcrfcct'match ant. avoiding the delay and er:- pense incident to subsequently filling in the names and addresses with a typewriter.

The invention further contemplate the provision of a novel means for automatically ren dering the printing mechanism inoperative and stopping the action of the address plate feeding mechanism when there is a failure for any reason whatsoever to feed a sheet of PRP"? to the press; This avoids smudging of the platen and prevents one of the address plates from passing through the machine sheets.

lVhile one particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in this'application for illustrative purposes, itwill be understood that many modifications and changes can be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following de scription and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front end of a duplicating machine which is constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a front end view of the machine with the bottom portion thereof broken away.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine with portions of one end thereof broken away.

Figure 4 isa longitudinal sectional view through the upper portion of the machine, portions being broken away and shown in section.

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the machine, taken substantially on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail View of the address plate feeding mechanism, parts being broken away and shown in section to illustrate more clearly the details of construction. I I

Figure 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through one end of the reciprocating bed and parts of the associated structure, showing one form of address plate holding mechanism for the bed.

Figure 8 is an end view of the address plate holding mechanism shown by Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7, showing a modified form of address plate holding mechanism.

Figure 10 is an end view of the address plate holding mechanism shown by Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an enlarged detail View of the mechanism which is controlled by the paper feeding for rendering the printing and address plate feeding mechanisms inoperative when there is any failure to feed a sheet of paper to the press.

tional view through the plate feeding maga-' zine, the plate feeding slide being shown at the inner limit of its movement.

Figure 16 is an enlarged horizontal sec-.

tional view through the upper magazine, showing the three-point support which is provided thereby for the address plates.

Figure 17 is a sectional view through the address plate holding device of the bed, showing a slight modification in which the ends of the anvil are provided with detents for engaging the address plate to pull it down with the anvil when the anvil. is lowered.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated on all of the views of the drawings by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 1 designate the spaced side members of the main frame which is suitably supported as by means of the legs 2. A horizontal bed 3 is slidably mounted between the sides 1 so that it can be reciprocated back and forth. A link 4: connects the bed 3 to an upright lever 5 which is pivoted at its lower end and connected in turn by a pitman 6 to a wrist pin on a gear wheel. 7. The gear wheel 7 is shown as meshing with a pinion 8 on a drive wheel shaft 9 which is connected by a belt 10 to some suitable source of power. This is a convention al and well. known mechanism for reciprocating the bed and, so far as the present 1 invention is concerned, any other mechanism for accomplishing the same result might be used.

A chase 11 containing the main printing form 12 is adapted to be mounted in the usual manner upon the reciprocating bed 3, and a platen 13 is arranged over the path of the bed. Any suitable means may be provided for progressively feeding an. inked ribbon R over the face of the printing form, and a sheet of paper to be printed is fed between the roller an d the printing form with the ribbon interposed between the printing form and the paper, this being an operation which is well known inthe art of duplicating letters. The platen 13 is mounted upon an eccentric shaft 14 which can be turned, as will be hereinafter described, to lift the platen into inoperative position or lower it into operative position, the platen being lowered on a forward or printing movement of the bed 3 and raised on the return movement thereof.

The address or special imprint plates 15, one of which is shown in detail by Figure 13, may be of a conventional and well known type, being shown for illustrative purposes as formed of sheet metal which has the printing surface stamped or pressed therefrom in a well known manner. The ends of the plates have the transverse ribs 15 pressed downwardly therefrom and guide flanges 15 extend beyond the ribs. A stack of these address plates is adapted to be placed in an upper magazine 16 which is arranged above the outer end of guide bars 1'7. These guide bars (see Figs. 5 and 6) have a spaced and parallel relation to each other and extend longitudin ally of the main frame from the bottom of the magazine 16 toward the reciprocating bed 3, being supported by the cross bars 17. Each of the guide bars 17 is provided upon its inner face with an upper groove 18, a lower groove 19 and an intermediate groove 20. As shown more clearly by Figures 5, 6 and 13 a reciprocating plate feeding slide 21 is mounted in the intermediate groove 20. The top of the slide .is provided with pawls 22 which are adapted to engage address plates in the upper grooves 18 to move them toward the bed, while the bottom of the slide is provided with a lower set of pawls 23 which are adapted to engage address plates in the lower grooves 19 to move them in a reverse direction. lVhen the slide 21 moves toward the bed 3 the upper pawls 22 are operative to advance the plates in the upper grooves 18, the lower pawls 23 being inoperative and slipping over the plates in the lower grooves 19. Upon the movement of the slide 21 in the reverse direction the upper pawls 22 are inoperative and slip over the plates in the upper grooves 18, while the lower pawls engage the plates in the lower grooves 19 to advance the said plates an increment of movement away from the bed. The plates drop directly into the upper grooves 18 from the top magazine 16 and from the outer ends of the lower grooves 19 they drop into the lower magazine 24 which extends downwardly from the rear end of the guide bars.

The upper magazine 16 is hingedly connected at 25 so that it can be swung forwardly when placing a stack of address plates in position therein, thereby enabling the address plates to be deposited in place from the inverted drawer of a card cabinet without the necessity of handling the plates. Similarly, the lower magazine 24 is hingedly connected at 26 to the frame, so that it can be swung forwardly to admit of the address plates which have accumulated therein being deposited directly into the drawer of a card cabinet without individual handling. This placing of the address plates in position and removing them therefrom, as just described, is rendered possible by the peculiar construction of the magazines. As will be seen by refcrence to Figure 16, which is a transverse sectional view through the upper magazine, each of the magazines has a back portion formed with a pair of spaced angle iron strips 97 which are re versely arranged and engage the rear corners of the address plates. Atthe front of the magazine the address plates are engaged by a single upright bar 28 which is supported by the L-shaped hinge memhers 1'29 which extend around the sides of the magazine so that the upright bar forms a retaining member which can be s vung into and out o't operative position. These retaining bars 28 of the magazines have a tubular formation and locking rods 30 are rotatable therein. Suitable handles 31 are applied to these locking rods and the ends of the rods are provided with lateral noses 32 and are adapted to enter recesses 33 in bloc {S 34 which connect the guide bars 1. These recesses 33 have undercut portions into which the lateral noses 32 are adapted to be rotated to lock the magazines in position. In order to release either magazine the handle 31 is rotated to turn the rod 30 and disengage the nose 32 at the end thereof from the undercut portion of the recess The magazine can then be swung outwardly about its hinge connection with the frame and the retaining bar 28 thereof swung laterally to admit of a stack of plates being either placed in position in the upper magazine or taken from the lower magazine. The lowermost plate in the upper magazine drops directly into the upper guide groove 18 of the bars 17, while the plates drop directly from the rear end of the lower groove l!) in the guide bars into the lower magazine A shelf 35 is monnted to travel up and down within the lower magazine 24. This shelf carried by endless chains 36 which pass around upper and lower guide sprockets 37. A counter-weight 38 is applied to the rear portion of the chains 36 and av ratchet wheel 3-9 is rigidly applied to the shaft of the upper guide sprockets. As shown more clearly by Figure 6, this ratchet wheel 3:) adapted to be engaged by a pawl on the rear end of the reciprocating slide 21. As shown more clearly by Figure 6, the pawl 40 will engage the ratchet wheel 39 on the movement of the plate feeding slide 21 towa l (he printing bed 3, thereby lowering the it or follower 35 one increment of movement. Backward movement of the ratchet wheel 39 is prevented by a detent- 40. lVith .ns construc on it will be obvious that as the slide 21 reciprocate; back and forth and the add" ss plates which have been used are sucelv dropped in the lower magazine, the 2o lowered with a step by step movelerring to Figures 5 and 6, it will be seen the guide bars 17 are formed'at an interl mediate nation in their length with longi- .toggle links 59.

tudinal slots 41 which receive the ends of a rod'42 extending transversely through the plate feeding slide 21. The projecting ends of the rod engage the arms of a yoke 43 which straddles the guide bars and carries the rack This rack is engaged by a pinion 45 on a transverse shaft 46 which extends across the frame of the machine under the guide bars 17. A second and larger pinion applied to the shaft near one end thereof engages an operating rack 48 which projects from an end of the bed 3 and is movable therewith. A guide 49 which projects from one side of the frame is arranged under the pinion 47 and slidably engages the rack 48 to hold the rack against lateral movement and direct it in its movements.

The end of the operating rack 48 which is connected to the bed 3 has a T-shaped head 50 (see Figs. 6 and 12) and passes slidably through a'keeper 51 which projects downwardly from the bed. A notch 52 in the rack is adapted to be engaged by a pawl 53 which is pivot-ally mounted upon the keeper, said pawl being formed with a cam shaped tail portion which normally tends to hold the nose of the pawl in operative position by gravity and is adapted to be engaged under certain conditions by a trip member to release the pawl and break the connection between the bed and operating rack. When this pawl is released and the connection between the bed and rack broken the bed can move forwardly without moving the rack and operating the plate. feeding mechanism.

The forward end of the bed 3, namely, that end thereof which is toward the magazines, is formed with an opening through which a plate supporting anvil 54 is movable up and down. Side walls 55 project upwardly on opposite sides of the opening and terminate at the upper ends thereof in inwardly projecting lips Detents 57 are mounted in the side walls 55, and the upper ends or noses thereof are adapted to project inwardly below the lips 56, as indicated by Figure 8, so that one of the address plates can be temporarily confined between the lips and the noses of the detents. The lower ends of the detents 57 project into the path of the anvil 54, so that when the anvil is lowered the detents are swung to cause the noses at the upper ends thereof to project from the side walls 55, as shown by Figure 8, while when the anvil is raised to engage the plate the upper ends of the detents are swung inwardly so that they are completely housed within the side walls. Springs 58 engage the detents and normally tend to swing them into inoperative position. i

The anvil 54 is supported by two sets of The upper pivot pins of the toggle links operate in vertical slots 60 formed in the side walls 55. while the lower pivot bolts of the toggle levers operate in horizontal slots 61 formed in flanges 62 which project downwardly from the bed. A tension spring (33 connects the lower ends of the toggle levers to a bracket 64 and normally tends to move the toggle levers into a substantially vertical. position. The anvil 54 is then raised so that it forms a backing for the address plate and holds the address plate against the lips 56 at the upper ends of-the side walls. The pressure of the printing op oration then acts upon the toggle levers in such a manner that there is no tendency to move the same and permit lowering of the anvil. As shown by Figures 7 and 8 the side walls may be forn'ied inti-igral with the downwardly projecting flanges (32, so that when the flanges are bolted in position to the bottom of the bed the side walls will project upwardly through the opening in the bed. Associated with the toggle levers 59 and preterably formed as extensions of certain ones thereof are trip arms which are adapted to engage a fixed abutment (36 when the bed reaches the limit of its forward movement. As shown by Figure 7, the trip arms are swung laterally by the abutment (36, whereupon. the toggle levers 59 are moved against the action of the spring 33 to lower the anvil 54;. The address plate which has just been used will. be lowered with the anvil and the downward movement of the anvil will operate the detents 57 to move the noses thereof outwardly, as shown. by Figure 8, so that a freshaddress plate can be moved into position between the lips 56 and detents. de sired, the anvil 5-ft may be magnetized or provided with a magnetto cause the previously used address plate to adhere thereto when the anvil is lowered. Under some conditions the address plate which has been used may be permitted to drop by gravity with the anvil when the bed 3 reaches the forward limit of its movement and the anvil is lowered. If it is not desired to depend upon gravity alone for causing the used. plate to drop with the anvil, magnetism mayjbe used, as mentioned above, for causing the plate to cling to the anvil until. removed theretroni by the reciprocating slide, ordetents such as those hereinafter described may be used for positively locking the plate with the anvil.

The side walls which are carried by the bed and project upwardly therefrom come into substantial abutment with the ends of the guide bars 17, as shown by Figure 7, when the bed reaches the limit of its moven'ient. The space between the lips 56 and detents 57 is then in registry with the upper groove 18 of the guide bars, while the address plate which has been lowered with the anvil is in registry with the lower grooves 19 of the guide bars.

As the address plate feeding slide 21 is caused to project beyond the ends of the guide bars 17 between the side walls 55, it moves a fresh address plate into position between the lips 56 and detents 57 and upon the return movement of the slide it engages the address plate which is resting upon the anvil and moves the said address plate into the lower grooves 19 of the guide bars. As previously explained, the upper pawls 22 of the slide engage the address plates in the upper groovelS of the guide bars to advance the address plates toward the bed 3 and slip over the address plates upon the return movement of the slide. In a similar manner the lower pawls 23 engage the address plates in the lower grooves between guide bars to move the used address plates rearwardly toward the lower magazine, slipping over the address plates without moving the same when the slide moves in the reverse direction. The address plates in the upper and lower grooves of the guide bars thus have a step by step movement; the plates in the upper grooves n'ioving toward the bed 3, while the plates in the lower grooves move away from the bed 3, the movements of the plates being so timed that each time the bed reaches the rear limit i its movement the old plate is dropped with the anvil and retracted into the lower grooves 19 of the guide bars, while a new plate is moved into position between the lips 56 and detents 57.

A slight modification of the mounting of the anvil is shown by Figures 9 and 10, in which the anvil 54 swings forwardly at the same time that it swings downwardly. This anvil carried by toggle levers 6? having the upper ends thereof pivotally connected to the anvil at 68, while the lower ends thereof are pivoted at 69 to the downwardly projecting flanges 62. A spring 79 normally tends to swing the toggle levers to move the anvil upwardly and extensions 71 extend downwardly from one set of toggle levers and are arranged to engage the fixed abutment 66 of the frame to swing the toggle levers and move the anvil downwardly when the bed reaches the forward limit of its movement. T he ends of the guide bars 17 are beveled, as indicated at 17", to provide a clearance space for the anvil as it swings upwardly and downwardly. The plate which has been used in the printing operation will move downwardly with the anvil and on the downward movement of the anvil cam portions on the sides thereof ennlungers 7 2 to move the same outwardly and produce a swinging movement of levers 73 which are provided on the outer faces of tee side walls 55. The upper ends of the lovers engage spring detents 7 4 which are normally in a retracted position. However, when the anvil is lowered the levers 73 are moved by the plungers T2 to force the spring detents 74 inwardly so that they will coopen ate with the lips 56 at the upper ends of the side walls to engage the new address plate as it is moved into position by the slide and support the same until the anvil has been returned to its 'aised position. Upon the return movement of the bed'3the. spring;7O will operate the toggle levers to return the anvil to its raised position as soon as the extensions or trip lingers 71 clear the abutment 66.

As previously stated, the platen 13 is mounted upon an eccentric shaft 1% which is rotated automatically to lower the platen into operative position upon the forward movement of the bed and raise the platen into inoperative position on the rear movement of the bed. One end of the platen is provided with a pinion75 which meshes with a rack 76 at one side of the bed 3, so that the platen rotates when the bed is moved under the same, thereby causing the surface of the platen to move with the printing surface in the necessary manner. The eccentric shaft 14 is provided at one end with a pinion 77 which meshes with a short rack 78 carried by a platen control bar 79 which extends along one side of the frame and mounted thereon to have a limited back and forth movement. The forward end of this bar 79, namely, the end of the bar toward the plate feeding mechanism, has a tension spring 80 connected thereto and this spring normally tends to slide the bar in that direction. This end of the bar is also formed with a shoulder 81 which is adapted to be engaged by the nose of a bell crank shaped detent lever 82 to lock the platen controlbaragainst the action of the spring. The opposite end of the said bar is formed with a'laterally projecting block 83 and the bed carries an abutment 84 which is adapted to engage the block to slide the control. bar against the action of the spring 80 when the bed reaches substantially the rear limit of its movement. Under normal condi tions the detent 82 then drops into engagement with the abutment 81 to hold the bar a gainst the action of the spring 80. A spring 85 is connected to the bell crank detent 82 and normally tends to swing. the same into operative position. The. block 83 is formed with a springplunger 83 which forms a cushioning element to absorb shocks and ars when the block is engaged by the abutment 8 1.

As shown by Figure 11' the short rack 78 is slidably'mounted.upon the platen control bar 79, movement thereof in one direction being limited by engagement with one of the cars 87 while movement in the opposite direction is limited by engagement with a stop 100. In the present instance a stem 86 is shown as projecting from one end of the short rack 78, said stem. passing, slidably through the guide ears 87 and having the end thereof threaded to receive a nut 88. Vhen the platen control bar 79- is moved rearwardly against the action of the spring 80 by engagement of the abutment 8=lon. the bed with the lateral block 83, the said bar moves independently of the short rack 78, al- 7 though one of the guides 87 is then brought into engagement with an end of the rack. The rack and platen shaft are held against movement at this time by means of a detent 89 which engages a shoulder 90 on a. pulley member 91 which is rigidly applied: to the platen shaft. A tension spring 93 is provided for rotating the eccentric shaft to lower the platen'into printing position when the detent 89 is released and rendered inoperative. This tension spring 93 is shown as connected to a flexible cable 92 which is partially wound upon the pulley member 91. As soon as this detent 89 is released the spring 93 acts to revolve the platen shaft and lower the platen and this results in moving the short rack 78 along the platen control bar 79 into engagement with the stop 100. WVith the parts in this position it will be obvious that when the printing bed reaches the limit of its move ment and the platen control bar 79 is moved toward the magazine end of the machine the. short rack will move therewith by reason of the fact that it is in engagement with the stoplOO and the platen will thereby be again set in a raised position.

The lower end of the detent 89 is formed with a cam extension 89 which is adapted to be engaged by a trip member 91 on a trip rod 95 which extends along one side of the machine and is mounted to move in a direction just the reverse to the movement of the bed. This may be accomplished in any suitable manner, although in the present in-- stance, as shown by Figure 1, one end of the trip rod is connected to a bellcrank lever 96, which is in turn connected by a pitman 97 to a wrist pin 011 a disc 98 which is applied to the same shaft as the gear wheel 7 of the main driving mechanism. lVhen the bed 3 starts upon its forward movement toward the ad dress plate receiving magazines, after having set the platen control bar as just described, the trip member 9% engages the cam shaped extension 89 of the detent 89 and swings the detent into inoperative position, whereupon the tension in the spring 93 tends to unwind the flexible cable 92 from the pulley member 91 and rotate the eccentric shaft to lower the platen into printing position. Upon the lowering of the platen by the rotation of the eccentric shaft the pinion 77 on the eccentric shaft acts to slide the short rack 78 along the printing control bar until the end of the rack engages the abutment 100, as shown by Figure 11.

1V hen the printing operation has been completed and the bed 3 approaches the limit of its movement, a cam member 191 engages a lateral pin 99 or a lip on the detent 82 to swing the detent into inoperative position, and an abutment 102 on the bed engages a shoulder 103 at the end of the platen control bar 79 to cooperate with the spring 80 toreturn the bar 79 to its original position. The short rack 78 is moved with theplaten control bar on this return movement, owing to the fact that it is in engagement with the stop 100, and this movement-of the short rack rotates the eccentric shaft of the platen to move the platen upwardly into inoperative position,'at the same time winding the flexible cable 92 on the pulley 91 and placing the spring 93 under tension. At the same time a locking dent 104 (see Fig. 11) drops by gravity into engagement with the end of the lateral block 83 and acts in a positive manner to prevent movement of the platen control bar 79 against the action of the spring until after the locking detenthas been released, as will be hereinafter described. Upon the return or non-printing movement ofthe bed.3, the trip member 94 will momentarily release the platen control detent 89, but the platen will not be lowered, because the short rack 78 is held against movement by engagement with the stop 100 and the platen control bar 7 9 is held against movement by the locking detent 104. As the bed 3 continues in its return or non-printing movement, a plate 105 thereon will engage a roller 106 carried by the locking detent 104 and lift the locking detent into inoperative position just before the abutment 84 of the bed 3 engages the lateral block 83 and moves the same to slide the platen control bar 7 9 until the detent 82 drops into engagement with the shoulder 81. This movement of the platen control bar 79 slides the said bar independently of the short rack 7 8, but moves the stop member 100 away from the end of the short rack, so that when the platen control detent 89 is released the spring 93 will act through the flexible member 92 and pulley 91 to rotate the eccentric shaft and lower the platen.

Referring to Figure-11, the paper is suitably fed to the platen 18 over a feed plate 107. Rollers 108 of a conventional type may be employed for feeding the paper and the plate 107 is formed with a suitable opening through which a feeler 109 is adapted to project when there is no sheet of paper in place on the plate 107. The feeler 109 is rigid with a shaft 110 which projects from one side of the machine where it is provided with a downwardly extending arm 111. This arm is connected by a link 112 to a. slide 113 which is provided at the upper edge thereof with an adj ustably mounted cam member 114. This cam member 114 is adapted to engage a lateral pin 115 on the detent 82 to hold the detent in inoperative position when there is a failure for some reason to feed. a sheet of paper to the press. Thecam member 114 is normally in inoperative position, and when a sheet of paper is in position on the feed plate 107 the end of the feeler 109 is prevented by the paper from passing through the opening in the feed plate thereby holding the cam member 114 in inoperative position. When there is not a sheet of paperin position on the feed plate, however,

" the feeler 109 will at the proper time swing downwardly through the opening in the feed plate 107, thereby permitting amovement of the arm 111 which shifts the cam member 114 into position under the pin 115 to hold the detent 82 in inoperative position.

The arm 111 of the feeler shaft is adapted to be engaged by an adjustable abutment 116 on a bell crank lever 117 which is pivoted at 118 on a block 119 which is secured to the upper edge portion of one of the sides 1 of the main frame. The upper and substan tially horizontal arm of the bell crank lever has ahollow formation so that it fits over a corner of the block 119, and a spring 120 engages the bell crank lever and normally swings the lower end thereof toward the arm 111 to hold the arm in such a position that the feeler 109 is elevated above the feed plate and the cam member 114 is inoperative. The upper arm of the bell crank lever 117 is provided with a roller 121 which is adapted to be engaged by a cam portion 122 of the abutment 84 on the bed 3 to swing the bell crank lever 117 against the act-ion'of the spring 120 as shown by Figure 11, when. the bed 3 ap- .1

preaches the limit of its movement away from the address plate receiving magazines. When the lower end of the bell crank lever thereby swung away from the arm 111 of the feeler shaft, the feeler 109 is free to swing downwardly if there is not a sheet of paper on the feed plate 107. If a sheet of paper is in position on the'feed plate the feeler 109 will be prevented thereby from swinging downwardly tlnrough the opening in the feed plate and the cam member 114 will remain in an inoperative position. However, if there has been a failure to feed a sheet of paper to the feed plate 107, the feeler 109 will swing downwardly through the opening therein, thereby pern'iitting a movement of the arm 111 which operates through the link 112 to move the cam member 114 under the pin 115 of the detent 82, so that the said detent is held in an inoperative position. l/Vith the detent 82 in an inoperativev position it will be obvious that the platen control bar 79 will not be locked against movement in a directiontoward the address plate receiving magazines and will be moved back to its original position by the spring as soon as the bed 3 starts on its reverse movement toward the address plate receiving magazines. The locking detent 104 will then promptly drop into'operative position, so that the eccentric shaft 14 of the platen will be locked against movement therewith when the platen control detent 89 is released. The platen will thus remain in a raised position on the printing movement of the bed when there is a failure to feed a sheet of paper to the press, and smudging of the platen with the ribbon is thereby prevented at such times. The block 119 upon which the bell crank lever 117 is pivotally mounted serves as a stop to engage the lateral block 83 of the platen control bar 79, and the said block 119 is shown as provided with a spring plunger 123 to absorb sudden shocks and jars.

It is also contemplated to automatically release the connection between the bed 3 and the main operating rack 48 of the plate feeding mechanism at those times when there is a fail ure to feed a sheet of paper to the press, thereby rendering the address plate feeding mechanism inoperative during that movement of the bed when no printing takes place, and preventing the passage of an address plate through the machine without being utilized for printing. As previously explained, the end of the main rack 48 is releasably connected to the bed 3 by means of a pawl 53,'said pawl engaging a notch 52 in the rack bar and being formed with a cam shaped tail portion 53. This cam shaped tail portion 53 of the pawl is adapted to be engaged by a trip 1nen1 ber 124 which is mounted to swing laterally into and out of the path of the tail portion of the pawl. This trip member 124, as shown by Figures 3 and 12, is carried by the lower portion of a trip frame which is pivotally mounted upon one side of the main frame of the machine at 126 to swing about a vertical axis. A suitable spring 127 may be arranged for engagement with the trip frame 125 to normally swing the same into operative position. The top portion of the trip frame 125 is formed with an arm which projects into the path of the block 83 at the end of the platen control bar 79, being shown as provided with a roller 128 for engagement with the said block. Vhen the platen control bar 79 is moved toward the address plate receiving magazines so that the locking detent 104 can drop down back of the block 83, the trip frame is permitted to be swung inwardly by the spring 127 to bring the trip member 12 1 into the path of the cam portion 53 of the pawl 53 so that upon a forward movement of the bed the cam 53 will engage the trip member 124 and swing the pawl 53 into in operative position, thereby releasing the connection between the bed 3 and the main operating rack 18 of the plate feeding mechanism, so that the bed can move forwardly independently of the rack. The bed is thus permitted to have a reciprocating movement without operating the plate feeding mechanism and causing a plate to pass through the press. Vhen the bed 3 approaches the limit of its non-printing movement or movement away from the plate receiving magazines, the abutment 8 f thereon engages the block 83 of the platen control bar 79 and noves the same against the action of the spring 80 until the detent 82 drops into engagement with the shoulder 81. unlessthe cam member 114 has been moved into operative position by reason of the fact that there has been a failure to feed a sheet of paper to the press. This movement of the block 83 brings it into engagement with the roller 128 of the trip frame 125 and swings the trip frame to move the trip member 124 out of the path of the cam portion 53 of the pawl 53. If a sheet of paper has been fed to the press, the parts will be locked in this position by the detent 82, so that the main rack 18 will not be released from the bed, and the platen will be lowered into operative position when the platen control detent S9 is released by the trip member 91. It will thus be seen that atall times when a sheet of paper is fed to the press the platen will be lowered on the printing movement of the bed, namely, the movement of the bed in a direction toward the address plate receiving magazines, and the trip member 124; will be held in an inoperative position so that the pawl 53 which locks the main rack to the bed 3 will not be released. However, in the event there is a failure to feed a sheet of paper to the press, the bell crank detent S2 is rendered inoperative, so that the platen control bar 79 moves with the bed 3 during the initial movement of the bed toward the address plate receiving magazines, thereby causing the trip member 124 to be swung into position for releasing the pawl 53, and also moving the stop 100 into engagement with an end of the short rack 78, so that the platen is locked in a raised position and prevented from being lowered upon the release of the platen control detent 89. In this connection it will be remembered that the platen control bar 79 is held against movement by the locking detent 104. The mechanism thus operates automatically both to prevent the lowering of the platen and to prevent operation of the plate feeding mechanism when there is a failure to feed a sheet of paper to the press.

On Figure 1 is shown a hand operated detent 129 having an end which is adapted to be moved into a locking engagement with the pulley member 91 in order to lock the platen in a raised position and prevent the same from being lowered upon the release of the platen control detent 89. This hand operated detent is normally swung into inoperative position, and is only moved into engagement with the member 91 when it is desired to reciprocate the bed 3 to cause a movement of the address or imprint plates 15 to be fed through the machine without any printing action.

On Figure 17 is shown a slight modification in which the ends of the anvil 54 are formed with spring pawls 130 which are adapted to snap over the edges of the address plate 15 on the upward movement of the anvil and lock the address plate with the anvil so that it will subsequently move downwardly therewith. The pawls 130 may be formed of spring material so that they will flex outwardly when the beveled noses of the pawls engage the edges of the plate on the upward movement of the anvil, and the side walls 55 are suitably recessed at 131 to provide a clearance for the pawls as they move up and down with the anvil and flex outwardly to snap around the edges of the address plate when the anvil reaches the limit of its upward movement. These pawls 130 may not be found necessary under all conditions, but when they are used the address plates will be securely locked to the anvil so that they will move downwardly therewith.

\Vhile one particular term of address plate 15 has been shown and described, it will be understood that these address or imprint plates may be formed in any suitable man= ner and that the imprint is not necessarily in the form of a name and address, but may be of any desired character, the idea being to automatically supply a dilterent imprint plate 15 to the bed of the press at each print.- ing operation thereof, so that. each sheet that is printed will have both the impression of the main printing form and the special impression of one of the imprint plates 15.

On Figures 1 and 1 a conventional form of conveyor E is shown for receiving the sheets as they are printed and depositing them in a stack on asuitable shelf or jogger F such as is shown on Figure at.

In the operation of the machine a stack of address plates 15 is placed in the upper magazine 16 and the machine permitted to operate with the platen locked in an inoperative. position by the hand detent 129 until the step by step movement of the first address plate in the upper guide grooves 18 has brought it into operative position on the anvil of the reciprocating bed. The hand detent 129 is then moved into inope'ative position and paper caused to be fed to the machine, one sheet of paper being printed on each operation of the bed. Upon the movement 01 the reciprocating bed 3 in a forward direction or toward the plate receiving magazine, a sheet of paper is printed and at the end or the movement the anvil 5% is automatically lowered to permit of the insertion of a new address plate in po. sition and the removal of the old address plate by the action of the pawls on the plate feeding slide 21. At the same time the abutment 102 on the bed engages a shoulder 103 on the platen control bar 79 to move the same "forwardly, the detent 82 having been previously released by the action of the cam member 101. Upon this movement of the platen control bar 79 the short rack 78 is moved forwardly by the stop 100 on the bar and the eccentric shaft 14 of the platen thereby rotated against the action of the spring 93 until the detent 89 engages the shoulder 90 of the pulley member 91 to lock the platen in a raised position. The looking detent 104 then drops behind the block 83 to hold the platen control bar 79 at the :l'orward limit of its movement. Upon the initial movement oi the reciprocating bed away from the plate receiving magazine the anvil 5-1- is raised to clamp the new address plate in place andbring the toggle members 59 into a substantially vertical position. The platen remains in an elevated position during this backward movement of the recipro cat-ing bed 3, and when the bed reaches the rear limit of its movement the plate 105 engages the roller 100 of the locking detent 101 tolift the same into inoperative position, and the abutment Se engages the block 83 of the platen control bar 79 to move this bar rearw'. rdly until the bell crank detent 82 drops into engagement with the shoulder 81 on the opposite end of the bar 79. The block 83 then engages the roller 128 of the trip frame 125 to swing the same outwardly and move ti o trip member 1232 into inoperative position. This rearward movement of the platen control bar 79 is inde pendent of the short rack 78 which remains stationary, the stop member 100 being moved away from the end of the short rack. The parts are all thus set for the return movement of the reciprocating bed toward the plate receiving magazines, and upon the initial portion of this return movement of the bed the trip member 9% engages the cam extension S9 of the platen dctent 89 to release the same, whereupon the spring 93 rotates the eccentric platen shaft 14: to lower the platen into operative position. It a sheet of paper is fed to the machine it. will be carried under the platen and a printing impression made thereon. In the event there should be a "failure to feed a sheet of paper to the mechanism, for any reason whatever, the teeler 109 will be permitted to swing through the opening in the teed plate 107, whereupon, as previously de' scribed, the cam member 11 1 will be moved into operative position and prevent the detent 82 from engaging the shoulder 81 ot the platen control bar 79, so that the platen control bar will move forwardly under the action of the spring during the ini ial portion of the 'l'orw rd movement of the bed, thereby permitting the trip member 104. to be moved into operative position so that the connection between the reciprocating bed and rack 18 will be broken and the bed will move independently oi the rack. The plate feeding mechanism is thus rendered inoperative and the platen will be held in a raised position because the locking detent 10 1 will drop down behind the bloc 83 as soon as it has been moved ton ward ly. The address plates which have been used are moved rearwardly through the low or guide grooves 19 and deposited in the lower magazine 24 from which they can be taken when desired.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A printing machine including a bed means, a platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect to the other, plate engaging means on the bed, a plate holding magazine, and means for automatically feeding a fresh plate from the magazine to the plate engaging means of the bed and at the same time removing an old plate therefrom at a certain position of the reciprocatable means.

A printing machine including a bed means, a platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect to the other, plate engaging means on the bed, a plate holding magazine, a plate guide extending from the magazine toward the reciprocating means, and means slidably mounted on the plate guide for automatically feeding plates from the guide to the plate engaging means of the bed on successive movements of the reciprocatable means.

8. A printing machine including a bed means, a platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect to the other, plate engaging means on the bed, a plate holding magazine, a plate guide extending from the magazine toward the bed, a slide mounted upon the guide and operatively connected with the reciprocatable means, and means on the slide for engaging the plates to move them along the guide and supply a fresh plate to the plate engaging means of the bed on successive movements of the reciprocatable means.

t. A printing machine including a bed means, a platen means, one of said means being movable with respect to the other, plate engaging means on the bed, a plate holding magazine, means for automatically supplying a fresh plate from the magazine to the plate engaging means of the bed on successive movements of the movable means, a second plate receiving magazine under the first mentioned plate holding magazine, and means for automatically removing the old plates from the bed and depositing them in the plate receiving magazine.

5. A printing machine including a bed means. a platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect to the other, cooperating plate gripping elements on the bed, one of the elements being movable, means for moving the said element into inoperative position at a certain position of the reciprocatable means, means for removing an old plate from the plate gripping elements when the movable element is in inoperative position, and means for feeding a fresh plate to the plate engaging elements at the same time.

6. A printing machine including a bed means, a platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect tothe other,

cooperating plate engaging elements on the bed, one of the elements being movable, means for moving the said element into inoperative position at a certain position of the reciprocatable means, a feed slide operatively con nected to the reciprocatable means, and means actuated by the slide for supplying a fresh plate to the plate engaging elements and removing an old plate therefrom when the movable plate engaging element is in inoperative position.

7. A printing machine including a bed means, a platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect to the other, cooperating plate engaging elements on the bed, one of the elements being movable, means for moving the said element into inoperative position at a certain position of the -recipro catable means, a plate holding magazine, a plate guide extending from the magazine to the bed, and a feed slide cooperating with the guide to automatically supply a fresh plate to the plate engaging elements and remove an old plate therefrom each time the movable plate engaging element is brought into inoperative position.

8. A printing machine including a bed means, a platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect to the other, cooperating plate engaging elements on the bed, one of the elements being movable, and trip means actuated by the movements of the reciprocatable means for automatically shifting the movable plate engaging element into inoperative position at a certain position of the reciprocatable means, and means for automatically feeding a fresh plate to the plate engaging elements and removing an old plate therefrom when the movable plate engaging element is in inoperative position.

9. A printing machine including a bed means, a. platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect to the other, a plate engaging anvil movably mounted upon the bed, means cooperating with the anvil to grip a plate when the anvil is in a raised position, means for automatically lowering the anvil at a certain position of the reciprocatable means, and means for automatically feeding a fresh plate over the anvil and removing an old plate therefrom when the anvil is in a lowered position.

10. A printing machine including a bed means, a platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect to the other, a plate engaging anvil mounted upon the bed for up and down movements, means cooperating with the anvil to grip a plate when the anvil is raised, toggle levers for the anvil, trip means for automatically moving the toggle levers to lower the anvil at a certain position of the reciprocatable means, and means for automatically feeding a fresh plate over the anvil and removing an old plate therefrom when the anvil is lowered.

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11. A printing machine including a bed means, a platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect to the other, an anvil carried thereby, toggle levers connected to the anvil for raising and lowering the same, means cooperating with the anvil to grip a plate when in a raised position, a trip finger associated with the toggle levers, an abutment arranged for engagement with the trip linger to actuate the toggle levers and lower the anvil at a certain position of the reciprocatable means, and means for antomatically feeding a fresh plate over the anvil and removing an old plate therefrom when the anvil is in a lowered position.

12. A printing machine including a bed means, a platen means, one of saidmeans being reoiprocatable.with respect to the other, an anvil movably mounted upon the bed, toggle levers connected to the anvil and permitting it to move up and down, means cooperating with. the anvil to grip a plate when it is in a raised position, yielding means normally tending to hold the anvil in a raised position, trip means for automatically actuating the toggle levers to lower the anvil at a certain predetermined position of the reciprocatable means, and means for feeding a fresh plate over the anvil and removing an old plate therefrom when the anvil is in a lowered position.

13. A printing machine including a bed means, a platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect to the other, an anvil mounted upon the bed for up and down movement, lips overhanging'the anvil and cooperating therewith to grip aplate when the anvil is in a raised position, trip means for automatically lowering the anvil at a predetermined position of the reciprocatable means, a plate holding magazine, a plate guide extending from the magazine to the bed, and means for automatically feeding a plate from the guide into position over the anvil and removing an old plate from the an vil while the anvil is in a lowered position.

1a. A printing machine including a bed means, a. platen means, one of said means being reciprocatable with respect to the other, an anvil mounted thereon for up and down movement, overhanging lips adapted to cooperate with the anvil to grip a plate when the anvil is in a raised position, trip means for automatically lowering the anvil at a predetermined position of the reciprocatable means, means for-feeding a fresh plate into position under the overhanging lips and removing an old plate from the anvil when the anvil is lowered, and means for temporarily supporting the fresh plate above the anvil until the anvil is again moved into raised position.

15. A printing machine including a bed, an anvil mounted thereon for up and down movement, overlianginglips arranged for cooperation with the anvil'to engage a plate when the anvil is in a raised position, means for automatically lowering the anvil between printing operations, and means for feeding a fresh plate into position over the anvil and removing an old plate therefrom while the anvil is in a lowered position.

16. A printing machine including a bed, an anvil mounted thereon for up and down movement, overhanging lips arranged for cooperation with the anvil to grip a plate when the anvil is raised, means for automatically lowering the anvil between printing operations, means for feeding a fresh plate into po sition under the overhanging lips and removing an old plate from the anvil while the anvil is lowered, and means for temporarily supporting the fresh plate in a spaced posi tion above the anvil until the anvil is again raised into printing position.

17. A printing machine including a bed, an anvil mounted thereon for up and down movement, overhanging lips arranged for cooperation with the anvil to grip a plate when the anvil is in a raised position, means for antomatically lowering the anvil between printing operations, means for feeding a. fresh plate into position under the overhangin lips and removing the old plate from the anvil when the anvil is lowered, and detents for si'ipportingthefresh plate in a spaced position above the anvil until the anvil has been again removed into a raised position.

18. A printing machine including a bed an anvil mounted upon the bed for up and down movement, overhanging lips arranged for cooperation with the anvil to grip a plate when the anvil is in a raised position, means for antomatically lowering the anvil between successive printing operations, means for feeding a fresh plate. into position under the overhanging lips and removing an old plate from the anvil when the anvil is in a lowered position, detents for temporarily supporting the new plate in a spaced position above the anvil, and means controlled by the movements of the anvil for moving the detents into inoperative position when the anvil is raised and permitting the detents to swing into operative position when the anvil is lowered.

19. A printing machine including a bed, an anvil mounted thereon for up and down movement, overhanging lips arranged for cooperation with the anvil to engage a plate when the anvil is in raised position, means for automatically lowering the anvil between printingoperations,means for feeding a fresh plate into position under the overhanging lips and removing an old plate from the anvil when the anvil is lowered, normally inoperative detents adapted to temporarily support the fresh plate, and means for automatically moving the said detents into operative posi tion upon the lowering of the anvil.

20. A printing machine including a bed,

an anvil mounted upon the bed for up and down movement, overhanging lips arranged for cooperation with the anvil to hold a plate when the anvil is in a raised position, means for automatically lowering the anvil between printing operations, means for causing the old plate to be lowered with the anvil, and means for inserting a fresh plate in position under the overhanging lips and removing the old plate while the anvil is lowered.

21. A printing machine including a bed, an anvil mounted thereon for up and down movement, overhanging lips arranged for cooperation with the anvil to engage a plate when the anvil is raised, means for automatically lowering the anvil between printing operations, detents on the anvil for engaging the old plate to cause the old plate to be lowered therewith, and means for inserting a fresh plate in position under the overhang ing lips and removing the old plate from the anvil while the anvil is in a lowered position.

22. A printing machine including a bed, an anvil mounted thereon for up and down movement, overhanging lips adapted to cooperate with the anvil to engage a plate when the anvil is in a raised position, means for automatically lowering the anvil between printing operations, detents on the anvil for engaging the old plate to cause the old plate to be lowered therewith, means for inserting a fresh plate in position under the lips and removing the old plate from the anvil while the anvil is lowered. and a second set of detents for tempo -a-rily supporting a fresh plate under the lips until the anvil has been again moved into raised position.

23. A printing machine including a bed, side walls projecting from the bed and provided with overhanging lips, an anvil mounted for up and down movement between the side walls and adapted to cooperate with the overhanging lips to engage a plate when it is in a raised position, downwardly projecting flanges on the bed, toggle levers mounted upon the flanges and engaging the anvil to permit the up and down movements thereof, trip means cooperating with the toggle levers to automatically lower the anvil between printing operations, and means for inserting a fresh plate over the anvil and removing the old plate therefrom while the anvil is lowered.

24. A printing machine including a reciprocating bed, plate engaging means on the bed, a plate holding magazine, guide members extending from the magazine to the bed and formed with two independent guideways, and means for moving the plates from the magazine along one guide-way to the plate engaging means of the bed, and moving the plates in the opposite direction from the plate engaging means on the bed along the other guide-way.

25. A printing machine includingareciproeating bed, plate engaging means on the bed, a plate holding magazine, guide means extending from the magazine to the bed and including two independent guide-ways, a reciprocating slide operatively connected with the reciprocatable means, and means on the slide for moving plates from the magazine along one guide-way to the plate engaging means on the bed and moving plates from the bed in the opposite direction along the other guide-way.

26. A printing machine including a re ciprocating bed, plate engaging means on the bed, a plate holding magazine, a plate receiving magazine, a guide extending from the two magazines toward the reciprocating bed and terminating adjacent the position occupied by the plate engaging means at one limit of movement of the bed, said guide being formed with two independent guideways, a reciprocating slide operatively connected to the bed, and means on the slide for moving plates from the plate holding magazine along one of the guide-ways to the plate engaging means of the bed and moving old plates in the opposite direction from the bed to the plate receiving magazine along the other guide-Way.

27. A printing machine including a reciprocating bed, plate engaging means on the bed, a guideleading to a pointadjacent the position occupied by the plate engaging means at one limit of movement of the reciprocating bed, said guide being formed with two independent guide-Ways, a slide mounted between the two guide-ways, an operative connection between the slide and the recip ro "ating bed whereby the slide and bed move in opposite directions, and pawls on the slide for moving plates along one of the guideways toward the bed and along the other guide-way away from the bed.

28. A printing machine including a reciprocating bed, plate engaging means on the bed, a guide leading to a point adjacent the position occupied by the plate engaging means at one limit of movement of the bed, said guide being formed with two independent guide ways, a reciprocating slide mounted between the guide-Ways, a rack carried by the slide, a second rack movable with the reciprocating bed, a pinion connection between the two racks whereby the slide moves in a direction opposite to that of the bed, and means on the slide for moving plates along one of the guide ways toward the reciprocating bed and along the other guide-way away from the reciprocating bed.

29. A printing machine including a reciprocating bed, plate engaging means on the bed, guide bars extending to a point adjacent the position occupied by the plate engaging means at one limit of movement of the recip rocating bed, each of said guide bars being provided with a pair of guide grooves and having a slot therein, the corresponding guide grooves of the bars forming independent guide-ways, a slide mounted between the bars, a pin carried by the slide and projecting through the slots of the bars, a yoke conectedto the pin, a rack on the yoke, a second rack movable with the reciprocating bed, a pinion connection between the two racks for reciprocation of the slide, and means on the slide for moving plates along one of the guide-ways toward the reciprocating bed and along the other guide-way away from the reciprocating bed.

30. A printing machine including a reciprocating bed, plate engaging means on the bed, a guide extending to a point adjacent the position of the plate engaging means at one limit of movement of the reciprocating bed, said guide being formed with two independent guide ways, a slide mounted upon the guide, an operative connection between the bed and the slide for reci n'ocating the latter, means on the slide tor moving plates along one guide-way toward the reciprocating bed and alon the other guide-way away from the reciprocating bed, a plate holding magazine arranged to deposit plates into the first mentioned guide-way. and a plate receiving magazine arranged to receive plates from the second mentioned guide-way.

31. A printing machine including a. bed, plate engaging means on the bed, a guide eX- tending to the plate engaging means, a magazine hingedly connected to the guide and arranged to feed plates thereto, said magazine being adapted to be tilted about its hinge connection when placing plates in position therein, and means for feeding plates along the guide from the magazine to the plate engaging means of the bed.

. A machine of the character described, including a plate guide-way, a plate receiving magazine hingedly mounted thereon so that it can be tilted. said plate receiving magazine being termed with a swinging side, and means for locking the swinging side in position.

A machine ot' the character described, including a plate receiving magazine having rear corner pieces, an intermediate front bar. and ahinge mounting for the front bar so that it can be swung outwa dly into inoperative position.

34. A machine of the character described. including a plate receiving magazine having rear corner bars, an interm diate front bar, a hinge mounting for the front bar, and a locking rod on the front bar.

35. A printing machine including a reciprocating bed, plate engaging means thereon, a guide member terminating adjacent the position occupied by the plate engaging means at one limit of movement of the reciprocating bed, a reciprocating slide for moving plates along the guideway, a magazine mounted upon the guide-way and adapted to receive the plates therefrom, a shelt mounted in the magazine to support the plates, and means for lowering the shelf with a step b step movement as the plates are de ositethereon.

36. A printing machine including a reci rocating bed. plate engaging means on the bed, a guide extending to a point adjacent the position of the plate engaging means when the reciprocating bed is at one limit of its movement, a reciprocating slide mounted 'upon the guide for moving plates thereon away from the bed, a magazii'ie mounted to receive the plates from the guide, a shelf arranged in the magazine to support the plates, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism operated bv the slide for imparting a step by step downward movement to the shelf as the plates are deposited thereon.

37. A printing machine including a bed, an anvil mounted thereon for up and down movement, overhanging lips adapted to cooperate "ith the anvil to engage a plate when the anvil in a raised position, means for lowering the anvil, a guide terminating adjacent the anvil, a reciprocating slide mount ed upon the guide and adapted to be projected between the anvil and the overhanging lips when the anvil is loi ered, and means actuated by the slide for removing an old printing plate from the anvil and placing a fresh printing plate in position.

38. A printing machine including a bed, an anvil mounted thereon for up and down n'iovement, overhanging lips adapted to cooperate with the anvil to support a plate, means for lowering the anvil between successive printing operations, a guide tcrmii'iating adjacent the anvil and provided with a pair of plate receiving guide-ways, one of the guideways being adapted to teed a plate under the overhanging lips, while the other guide-way is adapted to receive a plate from the top of the anvil when the latter is lowered, and means mounted upon the guide for moving a plate from the first mentioned guide-way into position under the overhanging lips and moving a plate from the topot the anvil into the other guide-way.

39. A printing machine inchiding a bed, an anvil mounted thereon for up and down movement, overhanging lips adapted to cooperate with the anvil to engage a plate, means for lowering the anvilv between successsive printing operations, a guide terminating adjacent the anvil and having a pair of guideways, one of which is adapted to feed a plate under the overhanging lips while the other is adapted to receive a plate from the top of the anvil when the anvil is lowered, a reciprocating slide mounted upon the guide and adapted to be projected into the space between the anvils and the lips when the anvil is low- 

